Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



The men who had seized Jesus took him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, at whose house the scribes and elders had gathered. And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out.


And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out. Verse ConceptsPeople Sitting DownEnd Of Actionsdistanceprepping


When it was morning, all the high priests and elders of the people held a consultation about Jesus, with a view to putting him to death. And they bound him and led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

When he had entered the Temple, and was teaching, the high priests and the elders of the people came up to him, and said, "What authority have you for doing as you do, and who gave you this authority?" Verse ConceptsChief priestsLeaders, SpiritualEntering The TempleChrist TeachingChrist In The TempleGod Appointing His SonResolving Conflict

As soon as it was daylight, the high priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes, and they and the whole council bound Jesus and took him away and handed him over to Pilate. Verse Conceptsenemies, of Jesus Christelders, as community leadersBad Decision Making ExamplesRopesTeachers Of The LawCommitteesHanding Over ChristOpposition To Christ From ScribesThe Chief Priests ConvenedTying Up

Then the high priests and the elders of the people gathered in the house of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted to arrest Jesus by stealth and put him to death. But they said, "It must not be during the festival, or there may be a riot."

The men who had seized Jesus took him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, at whose house the scribes and elders had gathered. And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out. Now the high priests and the whole council were trying to get false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. read more.
And they could not, although many false witnesses presented themselves. But finally two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I can tear down the sanctuary of God, and build it up in three days.' " And the high priest got up and said to him, "Have you no answer to make? What about their evidence against you?" But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, "I charge you, on your oath, by the living God, tell us whether you are the Christ, the son of God." Jesus said to him, "It is true. But I tell you you will soon see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty and coming upon the clouds of the sky!" Then the high priest tore his clothing and said, "He has uttered blasphemy! What do we want of witnesses now? Here you have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?" They answered, "He deserves death." Then they spat in his face and struck him, and others slapped him, saying, "Show us you are a prophet, you Christ! Who was it that struck you?"

Just at that moment, while he was still speaking, Judas, who was one of the Twelve, came up, and with him a crowd of men with swords and clubs, from the high priests, scribes, and elders. Now the man who betrayed him had given them a signal, saying, "The one I kiss is the man. Seize him and take him safely away." So when he came he went straight up to Jesus and said, "Master!" and kissed him affectionately. read more.
And they laid hands on him and seized him. But one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck at the high priest's slave and cut his ear off. And Jesus spoke and said to them, "Have you come out to arrest me with swords and clubs, as though I were a robber? I have been among you day after day in the Temple teaching, and you never seized me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled!" Then all the disciples left him and made their escape. And a young man followed him with nothing but a linen cloth about his body; and they seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran away naked. They took Jesus away to the high priest, and all the high priests, elders, and scribes came together. And Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest and sat down with the attendants and warmed himself at the fire. The high priests and the whole council tried to get evidence against Jesus in order to put him to death, and they could find none, for while many gave false testimony against him their evidence did not agree. Some got up and gave false testimony against him to this effect: "We ourselves have heard him say, 'I will tear down this sanctuary built by men's hands, and in three days I will build another, made without hands.' " And even then their evidence did not agree. Then the high priest got up and came forward into the center and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What about their evidence against you?" But Jesus was silent and made no answer. The high priest again questioned him and said to him, "Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?" But Jesus said, "I am! and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty and coming in the clouds of the sky!" Then the high priest tore his clothing, and said, "What do we want of witnesses now? Did you hear his blasphemy? What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving to be put to death. And some started to spit at him and to blindfold him and strike him, and say to him, "Now show that you are a prophet!" And the attendants slapped him as they took charge of him.

And Jesus said to the high priests, captains of the Temple, and elders who had come to take him, "Have you come out with swords and clubs as though I were a robber? When I was among you day after day in the Temple you never laid a hand on me! But you choose this hour, and the cover of darkness!" Then they arrested him and led him away and took him to the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance. read more.
And they kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat about it, and Peter sat down among them. A maid saw him sitting by the fire and looked at him and said, "This man was with him too." But he denied it, and said, "I do not know him." Shortly after, a man saw him and said, "You are one of them too!" But Peter said, "I am not!" About an hour later, another man insisted, "This man was certainly with him too, for he is a Galilean!" But Peter said, "I do not know what you mean." And immediately, just as he spoke, a cock crowed. And the Master turned and looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the words the Master had said to him??"Before the cock crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. The men who had Jesus in custody flogged him and made sport of him, and they blindfolded him, and asked him, "Show that you are a prophet! Who was it that struck you?" And they said many other abusive things to him. As soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the high priests and scribes assembled, and brought him before their council, and said to him, "If you are the Christ, tell us so." But he said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I ask you a question, you will not answer me. But from this time on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of God Almighty!" And they all said, "Are you the Son of God then?" And he said to them, "I am, as you say!" Then they said, "What do we want of testimony now? We have heard it ourselves from his own mouth!"

As they were talking in this way to the people, the high priests, the commander of the Temple, and the Sadducees came up to them, greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and declaring that in the case of Jesus there had been a resurrection from the dead. They arrested them, and as it was already evening, they shut them up until next morning. read more.
But many of those who had heard what they said believed it, and their number grew to be about five thousand. On the next day the leading members of the council, the elders, and the scribes met in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who belonged to the high priest's family. They had the apostles brought before them and demanded of them, "By what power or authority have men like you done this?" Then Peter, filled with the holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders of the people and members of the council, if it is for a benefit conferred upon a helpless man, and as to how he was cured, that we are called to account here today, you and the people of Israel must all know that it is through the power of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that he stands here before you well. He is the stone that you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, for there is no one else in the world who has been named to men as their only means of being saved." They were amazed to see how outspoken Peter and John were, and to find that they were uneducated men with no advantages. They recognized them as companions of Jesus, and seeing the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say. But they ordered them out of the presence of the council and conferred together. They said, "What are we to do with these men? For it is plain to everyone in Jerusalem that an extraordinary wonder has been done by them. We cannot deny that. But to keep it from spreading farther among the people, let us warn them to say nothing to anyone else at all about this person." So they called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all about the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, "You must decide whether it is right in the sight of God to obey you instead of him, for we cannot help telling of what we have seen and heard." But after further threats they let them go, as they could find no way to punish them, on account of the people, who were all giving honor to God for what had happened,

But members of the synagogue known as that of the Libyans, Cyreneans, and Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia undertook to debate with Stephen, but they could not meet his wisdom and the inspiration with which he spoke. So they instigated people to say, "We have heard him use abusive language about Moses and about God." read more.
They aroused the people, the elders, and the scribes, and they set upon him and seized him, and brought him before the council. Then they brought forward false witnesses, who said, "This man is constantly saying things against this holy place and against the Law, for we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will tear this place down and change the customs that have been handed down to us by Moses." Everyone who sat in the council fixed his eyes on him, and they saw that his face was like that of an angel.

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The high priest said, "Is this statement true?" He answered, "Brothers and fathers, listen. The glorious God appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, and he said to him, 'Leave your country and your relatives and come to the country that I will show you.' read more.
So he left the country of the Chaldeans and went to live in Haran, and from there after the death of his father, God caused him to move into this country where you now live. He gave him no property in it, not a single foot, but he promised to give it to him and his posterity after him permanently, though he had no children at that time. This was what God said: 'His descendants will be strangers, living in a foreign land, and they will be enslaved and misused for four hundred years, and I will sentence the nation that has enslaved them,' God said, 'and afterward they will leave that country and worship me on this spot.' And he made the agreement of circumcision with him, and so Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into slavery in Egypt. But God was with him, and rescued him from all his troubles, and enabled him to win favor and to show wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he appointed him governor of Egypt and of his whole household. Then a famine spread all over Egypt and Canaan, and there was great suffering, and our forefathers could not find any food. But Jacob heard that there was food in Egypt, and he sent our forefathers on their first visit there. On their second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Pharaoh learned of Joseph's parentage. Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all, and Jacob came down to Egypt. There he and our forefathers died, and they were carried back to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. As the time drew near for the fulfilment of the promise God had made to Abraham, the people became more and more numerous in Egypt, until another king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt. He took advantage of our people and oppressed our forefathers, making them abandon their infant children, so that they should not live. It was at this time that Moses was born. He was a wonderfully beautiful child, and for three months he was taken care of in his father's house. When he was abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh adopted him and brought him up as her own son. So Moses was educated in all the Egyptian culture; he was strong in speech and action. When he was forty years old, it occurred to him to visit his brothers, the descendants of Israel. Seeing one of them being imposed upon, he interfered and defended the man who was being ill treated, striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was using him as the means of delivering them, but they did not. The next day, he came across two of them fighting and tried to pacify them. He said to them, 'You are brothers. Why should you injure each other?' But the aggressor thrust him off, saying, 'Who made you our ruler and judge? Do you mean to kill me as you did that Egyptian yesterday?' At those words Moses fled, and went and lived for a time in Midian, and two sons were born to him there. When forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the desert of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. When Moses saw it he wondered at the sight, and when he went up to see what it was, the voice of the Lord said, 'I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses was terrified and did not dare to look at it. Then the Lord said to him, 'Take off your shoes, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have seen all the oppression of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their groans, and I have come down to save them. So come! I will make you my messenger to Egypt!' The Moses whom they had refused, saying to him, 'Who made you our ruler and judge?' God sent both to rule and to deliver them, with the help of the angel who had appeared to him in the bush. It was he who brought them out of Egypt, and did wonders and signs there, and at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the desert. This was the Moses who said to the descendants of Israel, 'God will make a prophet rise from among your brothers to teach you, just as he made me rise.' It was he who with the congregation in the desert went between the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and our forefathers, and received and communicated to you utterances that still live. Yet our forefathers would not listen to him, but thrust him off, and their hearts turned back to Egypt, for they said to Aaron, 'Make us gods to march in front of us, for as for this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him!' They even made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to their idol, and held a celebration over what their own hands had made. So God turned his back on them and left them to worship the starry host, just as the Book of the Prophets says, " 'Was it victims and sacrifices that you offered to me, O house of Israel, Those forty years in the desert? You offered me the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rompha, The images you had made to worship! So I will deport you beyond Babylon.' In the desert our forefathers had the Tent of the Testimony built like the model Moses had seen, just as he who spoke to him told him to make it. This tent was handed down to our forefathers and they brought it here with them when under Joshua they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before them, and it existed until the time of David. He won the approval of God and begged to be allowed to provide a dwelling for the God of Jacob, and Solomon actually built a house for him. But the Most High does not live in buildings made by human hands. As the prophet says, " 'The sky is my throne, And the earth a footstool for my feet. What house can you build for me? says the Lord, Or what place is there where I can rest? Was it not my hand that made it all?' You stubborn people, with heathen hearts and ears, you are always opposing the holy Spirit, just as your forefathers did! Which of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute? They killed the men who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and killed??53 you who had the Law given to you by angels, and did not obey it!" When they heard that, they were enraged and ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw God's glory and Jesus standing at God's right hand. And he said, "Look! I can see heaven open, and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand!" But they uttered a great shout and stopped their ears, and they rushed upon him all together, and dragged him out of the city and stoned him, the witnesses throwing down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"

Paul looked steadily at the council and said, "Brothers, I have done my duty to God with a perfectly clear conscience up to this very day." At this the high priest Ananias ordered the people who were standing nearest to him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you white-washed wall! Do you sit there to try me by the Law, and order them to strike me in violation of the Law?" read more.
But the people who stood near him said, "Do you mean to insult God's high priest?" "I did not know, brothers," said Paul, "that he was high priest, for the Scripture says, 'You shall not say anything against any ruler of your people.' "

Then the high priests and the elders of the people gathered in the house of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, Verse ConceptsScribesChrist Would Be KilledThe Elderlypriests

The men who had seized Jesus took him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, at whose house the scribes and elders had gathered. And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out. Now the high priests and the whole council were trying to get false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. read more.
And they could not, although many false witnesses presented themselves. But finally two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I can tear down the sanctuary of God, and build it up in three days.' " And the high priest got up and said to him, "Have you no answer to make? What about their evidence against you?"

And they obeyed, and about daybreak went into the Temple and began to teach. The high priest and his party came over and called together the council and indeed the whole senate of the Israelites, and sent to the prison to have the apostles brought in. But the attendants who went for them could not find them in the jail, and they came back and reported, "We found the prison securely locked up, with the sentries on duty at the doors, but on opening the doors we found no one inside." read more.
When the commander of the Temple and the high priests heard this report, they were very much at a loss as to what would come of it. Someone came over and reported to them, "The men that you put in jail are standing right here in the Temple, teaching the people!" Then the commander and his men went and brought them back, but without using violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. So they brought them before the council. The high priest called on them for an explanation. "We strictly forbade you," he said, "to teach on this authority, and here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and propose to hold us responsible for this man's death!"

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a maid came up to him, and said, "You were with Jesus the Galilean, too!" But he denied it before them all, and said, "I do not know what you mean." And he went out into the gateway, and another maid saw him, and said to the men there, "This fellow was with Jesus the Nazarene!" read more.
He denied it again, with an oath, and said, "I do not know the man!" A little while after the bystanders came up to Peter and said, "You are certainly one of them too, for your accent shows it!" Then he started to swear with the strongest oaths, "I do not know the man!" And at that moment a cock crowed. And Peter remembered Jesus' words when he had said, "Before a cock crows, you will disown me three times!" And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The men who had seized Jesus took him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, at whose house the scribes and elders had gathered. And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out.

While Peter was down in the courtyard, one of the high priest's maids came up, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You were with this Jesus of Nazareth too!" But he denied it, saying, "I do not know or understand what you mean." He went out into the gateway. read more.
And the maid saw him there and began again to tell the bystanders, "This fellow is one of them!" But he denied it again. And again a little while after, the bystanders said to Peter, "You certainly are one of them, for you are a Galilean!" But he began to swear with the strongest oaths, "I do not know this man that you are talking about!" At that moment for the second time a cock crowed. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will disown me three times!" And at that, he wept aloud.

But Simon Peter still stood warming himself. So they said to him, "Are you also one of his disciples?" He denied it and said, "No, I am not." One of the high priest's slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Did I not see you with him in the garden?" Peter again denied it, and at that moment a cock crowed.

They took Jesus away to the high priest, and all the high priests, elders, and scribes came together. And Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest and sat down with the attendants and warmed himself at the fire.

Then they arrested him and led him away and took him to the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance. And they kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat about it, and Peter sat down among them. A maid saw him sitting by the fire and looked at him and said, "This man was with him too." read more.
But he denied it, and said, "I do not know him." Shortly after, a man saw him and said, "You are one of them too!" But Peter said, "I am not!" About an hour later, another man insisted, "This man was certainly with him too, for he is a Galilean!" But Peter said, "I do not know what you mean." And immediately, just as he spoke, a cock crowed. And the Master turned and looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the words the Master had said to him??"Before the cock crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.

and they took him first to Annas. For he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was for their interest that one man should die for the people. But Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. This other disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest, and he went on with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, read more.
while Peter stood outside at the door. So this other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest, went out and spoke to the woman at the door and brought Peter in. The maid at the door said to Peter, "Are you also one of this man's disciples?" He said, "No, I am not." As it was cold the slaves and attendants had made a charcoal fire, and stood about it warming themselves. And Peter also was among them, standing and warming himself.


The men who had seized Jesus took him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, at whose house the scribes and elders had gathered. And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out. Now the high priests and the whole council were trying to get false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. read more.
And they could not, although many false witnesses presented themselves. But finally two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I can tear down the sanctuary of God, and build it up in three days.' " And the high priest got up and said to him, "Have you no answer to make? What about their evidence against you?"



And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out. Verse ConceptsPeople Sitting DownEnd Of Actionsdistanceprepping

Then they arrested him and led him away and took him to the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance. Verse ConceptsArrestingHigh Priest, In NtArresting Christdistance

And Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest and sat down with the attendants and warmed himself at the fire. Verse ConceptsWarming

And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out. Verse ConceptsPeople Sitting DownEnd Of Actionsdistanceprepping

But Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. This other disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest, and he went on with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, Verse ConceptsFollowing Jesus ChristCourtyardKnowing People

And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out. Verse ConceptsPeople Sitting DownEnd Of Actionsdistanceprepping


He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it cannot pass by me without my drinking it, your will be done!" Verse ConceptsdrinkingPrayer, As A Relationship With GodStrength, SpiritualThe Submission Of ChristSubmission To God's WillSpeaking AgainJesus PrayingRelationship Of Father And SonGod's Will Be Done

And he left them and went away again and prayed a third time, in the same words as before. Verse ConceptsCommunicating Three TimesSaying RepeatedlyJesus Praying

Then he came back to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to wicked men! Get up! Let us be going! Look! Here comes my betrayer!" Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, came up, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the high priests and the elders of the people. read more.
Now the man who betrayed him gave them a signal, saying, "The one I kiss is the man. Seize him!" And he went straight up to Jesus and said, "Good evening, Master!" and kissed him affectionately. Jesus said to him, "My friend, what are you here for?" Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and secured him. One of the men with Jesus put out his hand and drew his sword, and striking at the high priest's slave, cut his ear off. Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back where it belongs! For all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you suppose I cannot appeal to my Father, and he would at once furnish me more than twelve legions of angels? But then how are the Scriptures to be fulfilled, which say that this must happen?" At that same time Jesus said to the crowd, "Have you come out to arrest me with swords and clubs, as though I were a robber? Day after day I have sat in the Temple preaching, and you never seized me. But this has all taken place in fulfilment of the writings of the prophets." Then all the disciples left him and made their escape. The men who had seized Jesus took him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, at whose house the scribes and elders had gathered. And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out. Now the high priests and the whole council were trying to get false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. And they could not, although many false witnesses presented themselves. But finally two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I can tear down the sanctuary of God, and build it up in three days.' " And the high priest got up and said to him, "Have you no answer to make? What about their evidence against you?" But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, "I charge you, on your oath, by the living God, tell us whether you are the Christ, the son of God." Jesus said to him, "It is true. But I tell you you will soon see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty and coming upon the clouds of the sky!" Then the high priest tore his clothing and said, "He has uttered blasphemy! What do we want of witnesses now? Here you have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?" They answered, "He deserves death." Then they spat in his face and struck him, and others slapped him, saying, "Show us you are a prophet, you Christ! Who was it that struck you?" Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a maid came up to him, and said, "You were with Jesus the Galilean, too!" But he denied it before them all, and said, "I do not know what you mean." And he went out into the gateway, and another maid saw him, and said to the men there, "This fellow was with Jesus the Nazarene!" He denied it again, with an oath, and said, "I do not know the man!" A little while after the bystanders came up to Peter and said, "You are certainly one of them too, for your accent shows it!" Then he started to swear with the strongest oaths, "I do not know the man!" And at that moment a cock crowed. And Peter remembered Jesus' words when he had said, "Before a cock crows, you will disown me three times!" And he went outside and wept bitterly.

They took Jesus away to the high priest, and all the high priests, elders, and scribes came together. And Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest and sat down with the attendants and warmed himself at the fire. The high priests and the whole council tried to get evidence against Jesus in order to put him to death, and they could find none, read more.
for while many gave false testimony against him their evidence did not agree. Some got up and gave false testimony against him to this effect: "We ourselves have heard him say, 'I will tear down this sanctuary built by men's hands, and in three days I will build another, made without hands.' " And even then their evidence did not agree. Then the high priest got up and came forward into the center and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What about their evidence against you?" But Jesus was silent and made no answer. The high priest again questioned him and said to him, "Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?" But Jesus said, "I am! and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty and coming in the clouds of the sky!" Then the high priest tore his clothing, and said, "What do we want of witnesses now? Did you hear his blasphemy? What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving to be put to death. And some started to spit at him and to blindfold him and strike him, and say to him, "Now show that you are a prophet!" And the attendants slapped him as they took charge of him.

When it was morning, all the high priests and elders of the people held a consultation about Jesus, with a view to putting him to death. And they bound him and led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

Pilate summoned the high priests and the leading members of the council and the people, and said to them, "You brought this man before me charged with misleading the people, and here I have examined him before you and not found him guilty of any of the things that you accuse him of. Neither has Herod, for he has sent him back to us. You see he has done nothing to call for his death. read more.
So I will teach him a lesson and let him go." OMITTED TEXT But they all shouted out, "Kill him, and release Barabbas for us!" (He was a man who had been put in prison for a riot that had taken place in the city and for murder.) But Pilate wanted to let Jesus go, and he called out to them again. But they kept on shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" And he said to them a third time, "Why, what has he done that is wrong? For I have found nothing about him to call for his death. So I will teach him a lesson and let him go." But they persisted with loud outcries in demanding that he be crucified, and their shouting won. And Pilate pronounced sentence that what they asked for should be done.

The men who had seized Jesus took him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, at whose house the scribes and elders had gathered. And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out. Now the high priests and the whole council were trying to get false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. read more.
And they could not, although many false witnesses presented themselves. But finally two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I can tear down the sanctuary of God, and build it up in three days.' " And the high priest got up and said to him, "Have you no answer to make? What about their evidence against you?" But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, "I charge you, on your oath, by the living God, tell us whether you are the Christ, the son of God." Jesus said to him, "It is true. But I tell you you will soon see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty and coming upon the clouds of the sky!" Then the high priest tore his clothing and said, "He has uttered blasphemy! What do we want of witnesses now? Here you have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?" They answered, "He deserves death." Then they spat in his face and struck him, and others slapped him, saying, "Show us you are a prophet, you Christ! Who was it that struck you?"

Then they arrested him and led him away and took him to the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance. And they kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat about it, and Peter sat down among them. A maid saw him sitting by the fire and looked at him and said, "This man was with him too." read more.
But he denied it, and said, "I do not know him." Shortly after, a man saw him and said, "You are one of them too!" But Peter said, "I am not!" About an hour later, another man insisted, "This man was certainly with him too, for he is a Galilean!" But Peter said, "I do not know what you mean." And immediately, just as he spoke, a cock crowed. And the Master turned and looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the words the Master had said to him??"Before the cock crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. The men who had Jesus in custody flogged him and made sport of him, and they blindfolded him, and asked him, "Show that you are a prophet! Who was it that struck you?" And they said many other abusive things to him. As soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the high priests and scribes assembled, and brought him before their council, and said to him, "If you are the Christ, tell us so." But he said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I ask you a question, you will not answer me. But from this time on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of God Almighty!" And they all said, "Are you the Son of God then?" And he said to them, "I am, as you say!" Then they said, "What do we want of testimony now? We have heard it ourselves from his own mouth!"

But Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. This other disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest, and he went on with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, while Peter stood outside at the door. So this other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest, went out and spoke to the woman at the door and brought Peter in. The maid at the door said to Peter, "Are you also one of this man's disciples?" He said, "No, I am not." read more.
As it was cold the slaves and attendants had made a charcoal fire, and stood about it warming themselves. And Peter also was among them, standing and warming himself. Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues or in the Temple where all the Jews meet together, and I have said nothing in secret. Why do you question me? Ask those who have heard me what it was that I said to them. They will know what I have said." When he said this, one of the attendants who stood near struck him and said, "Is that the way you answer the high priest?" Jesus replied, "If I have said anything wrong, testify to it; but if what I have said is true, why do you strike me?" So Annas sent him over still bound to Caiaphas the high priest. But Simon Peter still stood warming himself. So they said to him, "Are you also one of his disciples?" He denied it and said, "No, I am not." One of the high priest's slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Did I not see you with him in the garden?" Peter again denied it, and at that moment a cock crowed. Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor's house. It was early in the morning, and they would not go into the governor's house themselves, to avoid being ceremonially defiled and to be able to eat the Passover supper. So Pilate came outside to them, and said, "What charge do you make against this man?" They answered, "If he were not a criminal, we would not have turned him over to you." Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves, and try him by your law." The Jews said to him, "We have no authority to put anyone to death." This was to fulfil what Jesus said when he declared how he was to die.

Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, came up, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the high priests and the elders of the people. Now the man who betrayed him gave them a signal, saying, "The one I kiss is the man. Seize him!" And he went straight up to Jesus and said, "Good evening, Master!" and kissed him affectionately. read more.
Jesus said to him, "My friend, what are you here for?" Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and secured him. One of the men with Jesus put out his hand and drew his sword, and striking at the high priest's slave, cut his ear off. Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back where it belongs! For all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you suppose I cannot appeal to my Father, and he would at once furnish me more than twelve legions of angels? But then how are the Scriptures to be fulfilled, which say that this must happen?" At that same time Jesus said to the crowd, "Have you come out to arrest me with swords and clubs, as though I were a robber? Day after day I have sat in the Temple preaching, and you never seized me. But this has all taken place in fulfilment of the writings of the prophets." Then all the disciples left him and made their escape. The men who had seized Jesus took him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, at whose house the scribes and elders had gathered. And Peter followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest's house, and he went inside and sat down among the attendants to see how it came out. Now the high priests and the whole council were trying to get false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. And they could not, although many false witnesses presented themselves. But finally two came forward and said, "This man said, 'I can tear down the sanctuary of God, and build it up in three days.' " And the high priest got up and said to him, "Have you no answer to make? What about their evidence against you?" But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, "I charge you, on your oath, by the living God, tell us whether you are the Christ, the son of God." Jesus said to him, "It is true. But I tell you you will soon see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty and coming upon the clouds of the sky!" Then the high priest tore his clothing and said, "He has uttered blasphemy! What do we want of witnesses now? Here you have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?" They answered, "He deserves death." Then they spat in his face and struck him, and others slapped him, saying, "Show us you are a prophet, you Christ! Who was it that struck you?" Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a maid came up to him, and said, "You were with Jesus the Galilean, too!" But he denied it before them all, and said, "I do not know what you mean." And he went out into the gateway, and another maid saw him, and said to the men there, "This fellow was with Jesus the Nazarene!" He denied it again, with an oath, and said, "I do not know the man!" A little while after the bystanders came up to Peter and said, "You are certainly one of them too, for your accent shows it!" Then he started to swear with the strongest oaths, "I do not know the man!" And at that moment a cock crowed. And Peter remembered Jesus' words when he had said, "Before a cock crows, you will disown me three times!" And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Just at that moment, while he was still speaking, Judas, who was one of the Twelve, came up, and with him a crowd of men with swords and clubs, from the high priests, scribes, and elders. Now the man who betrayed him had given them a signal, saying, "The one I kiss is the man. Seize him and take him safely away." So when he came he went straight up to Jesus and said, "Master!" and kissed him affectionately. read more.
And they laid hands on him and seized him. But one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck at the high priest's slave and cut his ear off. And Jesus spoke and said to them, "Have you come out to arrest me with swords and clubs, as though I were a robber? I have been among you day after day in the Temple teaching, and you never seized me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled!" Then all the disciples left him and made their escape. And a young man followed him with nothing but a linen cloth about his body; and they seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran away naked. They took Jesus away to the high priest, and all the high priests, elders, and scribes came together. And Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest and sat down with the attendants and warmed himself at the fire. The high priests and the whole council tried to get evidence against Jesus in order to put him to death, and they could find none, for while many gave false testimony against him their evidence did not agree. Some got up and gave false testimony against him to this effect: "We ourselves have heard him say, 'I will tear down this sanctuary built by men's hands, and in three days I will build another, made without hands.' " And even then their evidence did not agree. Then the high priest got up and came forward into the center and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What about their evidence against you?" But Jesus was silent and made no answer. The high priest again questioned him and said to him, "Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?" But Jesus said, "I am! and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty and coming in the clouds of the sky!" Then the high priest tore his clothing, and said, "What do we want of witnesses now? Did you hear his blasphemy? What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving to be put to death. And some started to spit at him and to blindfold him and strike him, and say to him, "Now show that you are a prophet!" And the attendants slapped him as they took charge of him. While Peter was down in the courtyard, one of the high priest's maids came up, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You were with this Jesus of Nazareth too!" But he denied it, saying, "I do not know or understand what you mean." He went out into the gateway. And the maid saw him there and began again to tell the bystanders, "This fellow is one of them!" But he denied it again. And again a little while after, the bystanders said to Peter, "You certainly are one of them, for you are a Galilean!" But he began to swear with the strongest oaths, "I do not know this man that you are talking about!" At that moment for the second time a cock crowed. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will disown me three times!" And at that, he wept aloud.

While he was still speaking, a crowd of people came up, with the man called Judas, one of the Twelve, at their head, and he stepped up to Jesus to kiss him. Jesus said to him, "Would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" Those who were about him saw what was coming and said, "Master, shall we use our swords?" read more.
And one of them did strike at the high priest's slave and cut his right ear off. But Jesus answered, "Let me do this much!" And he touched his ear and healed him. And Jesus said to the high priests, captains of the Temple, and elders who had come to take him, "Have you come out with swords and clubs as though I were a robber? When I was among you day after day in the Temple you never laid a hand on me! But you choose this hour, and the cover of darkness!" Then they arrested him and led him away and took him to the house of the high priest. And Peter followed at a distance. And they kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat about it, and Peter sat down among them. A maid saw him sitting by the fire and looked at him and said, "This man was with him too." But he denied it, and said, "I do not know him." Shortly after, a man saw him and said, "You are one of them too!" But Peter said, "I am not!" About an hour later, another man insisted, "This man was certainly with him too, for he is a Galilean!" But Peter said, "I do not know what you mean." And immediately, just as he spoke, a cock crowed. And the Master turned and looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the words the Master had said to him??"Before the cock crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. The men who had Jesus in custody flogged him and made sport of him, and they blindfolded him, and asked him, "Show that you are a prophet! Who was it that struck you?" And they said many other abusive things to him. As soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the high priests and scribes assembled, and brought him before their council, and said to him, "If you are the Christ, tell us so." But he said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I ask you a question, you will not answer me. But from this time on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of God Almighty!" And they all said, "Are you the Son of God then?" And he said to them, "I am, as you say!" Then they said, "What do we want of testimony now? We have heard it ourselves from his own mouth!"

So Judas got out the garrison and some attendants from the high priests and Pharisees, and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Then Jesus, as he knew everything that was going to happen to him, came forward and said to them, "Who is it you are looking for?" They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." He said to them, "I am he." Judas who betrayed him was standing among them. read more.
When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. Then he asked them again, "Who is it you are looking for?" They said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am he, so if you are looking for me, let these men go." This was to fulfil the saying he had uttered, "I have not lost one of those whom you have given me." Then Simon Peter, who had a sword with him, drew it and struck at the high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus. Then Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has offered me?" So the garrison and the colonel and the attendants of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him, and they took him first to Annas. For he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was for their interest that one man should die for the people. But Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. This other disciple was an acquaintance of the high priest, and he went on with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, while Peter stood outside at the door. So this other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest, went out and spoke to the woman at the door and brought Peter in. The maid at the door said to Peter, "Are you also one of this man's disciples?" He said, "No, I am not." As it was cold the slaves and attendants had made a charcoal fire, and stood about it warming themselves. And Peter also was among them, standing and warming himself. Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues or in the Temple where all the Jews meet together, and I have said nothing in secret. Why do you question me? Ask those who have heard me what it was that I said to them. They will know what I have said." When he said this, one of the attendants who stood near struck him and said, "Is that the way you answer the high priest?" Jesus replied, "If I have said anything wrong, testify to it; but if what I have said is true, why do you strike me?" So Annas sent him over still bound to Caiaphas the high priest. But Simon Peter still stood warming himself. So they said to him, "Are you also one of his disciples?" He denied it and said, "No, I am not." One of the high priest's slaves, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Did I not see you with him in the garden?" Peter again denied it, and at that moment a cock crowed. Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor's house. It was early in the morning, and they would not go into the governor's house themselves, to avoid being ceremonially defiled and to be able to eat the Passover supper. So Pilate came outside to them, and said, "What charge do you make against this man?" They answered, "If he were not a criminal, we would not have turned him over to you." Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves, and try him by your law." The Jews said to him, "We have no authority to put anyone to death." This was to fulfil what Jesus said when he declared how he was to die. So Pilate went back into the governor's house and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Did you think of that yourself, or has someone else said it to you about me?" Pilate answered, "Do you take me for a Jew? Your own people and the high priests handed you over to me. What offense have you committed?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not a kingdom of this world. If my kingdom were a kingdom of this world, my men would have fought to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom has no such origin." Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "As you say, I am a king. It was for this that I was born and for this that I came to the world, to give testimony for truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth listens to my voice." Pilate said to him, "What is truth!" With these words he went outside again to the Jews, and said to them, "I can find nothing to charge him with. But it is your custom to have me release one man for you at Passover time. Do you want me therefore to release the king of the Jews for you?" Then they shouted back, "No! Not him, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.